My husband was the one who showed me that being open about your emotional, physical, mental and sexual needs would be the only way you will get those needs met. I believed in monogamy when we first met and he didn't. I asked him about it and I began to understand why he led his life the way he did. So I tried it and loved it. I found out that as long as I was open and honest about the partners and with the partners, I didn't feel disrespectful.

Now let me say that it took some time for me to get used to openness in our relationship, but I wouldn't want it any other way. It took me so long because I was born into a religion that practices monogamy. But in their holy book it says you can execute your wife if she is not a virgin, you can't eat shell fish or lay with a man as if with a woman. That religion was not going to go well with me, so I changed to paganism, which was more consistent with my beliefs. In paganism it is not a bizarre thing to see triads or even more partners.

Olivia Ford is the executive editor for TheBody.com and TheBodyPRO.com.

Comment by: craig larue
(arkansas)
Tue., Aug. 20, 2013 at 3:31 pm EDT
It is typical of publications that generate a large percentage of their income from pharmaceutical companies that sell HIV drugs that Olivia Ford is ambivilant about avoiding HIV. The concept of homosexuals avoiding HIV means less advertizing dollars for theBody and less money for articles normalizing HIV as a part of Gay life that should not be avoided or prevented unless one feels an unfashionable need to avoid HIV because of internalized homphobia.

Comment by: ryan h.
(dearborn mi 48124)
Wed., Jun. 26, 2013 at 8:16 pm EDT
do not agree. all but a few on these type relationship i know have not worked. for awhile maybe but not long term. adult form committed partnerships. young boys feel the need for multiple guys. i dont know straight couples that this has worked for either.i certainly don't claim to be an expert just saying what i know to be true. i was lucky to has a committed 15 year relationship with a man who unfortunately passed away. ten years later i happily found another

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